At least 71 people have died in Ethiopia after a truck packed with passengers plunged into a river, according to the spokesperson for the southern Sidama regional government and a statement, Report informs via Reuters.
The accident occurred in the Bona district, the regional communication bureau said in a statement issued late on Sunday.
Wosenyeleh Simion, spokesperson for the Sidama regional government, told Reuters on Monday at least 71 people had died, including 68 males and three females.
“Five are in a critical condition and taking treatment at Bona General Hospital,” he said.
He added that the truck had missed a bridge and fell into a river and that the road had many bends.
Some of the passengers were returning from a wedding ceremony and some families had lost multiple members, he said, adding traffic police in the region had reported the truck was overloaded, which likely caused the accident.
The state-run Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation also reported that the passengers were traveling to a wedding when the accident occurred on Sunday.